Pleasure/pain is one of the simplest control mechanism, thus it seems probable that it would be discovered by any sufficiently-advanced evolutionary processes anywhere.
What other mechanisms have you compared it to?
Once general intelligence arises as a result of an evolutionary process, it will apply itself to optimizing the (unnecessary) pain away… Generally, it will succeed. (General intelligence = power of general-purpose optimization.)
How do you define “pain” in a general case? How does one define unnecessary pain? Does boredom counts as a necessary pain? How far in the future do you have to trace the consequences before deciding that a certain discomfort is unnecessary?
What other mechanisms have you compared it to?
How do you define “pain” in a general case? How does one define unnecessary pain? Does boredom counts as a necessary pain? How far in the future do you have to trace the consequences before deciding that a certain discomfort is unnecessary?
To a lack of any.
Sharp negative reinforcement in a behavioristic learning process.
Useless/inefficient for the necessary learning purposes.
Depends on the circumstances. When boredom is inevitable and there’s nothing I can do about it, I would prefer to be without it.
Same time range in which my utility function operates.
(EDIT: I’m sorry, I should have asked you for your own answers to your questions first. Stupid me.)